Shopping center passes out free toilet paper to seniors
CALEXICO — Gran Plaza Outlets on Thursday pitched in to help vulnerable Imperial Valley residents during the novel coronavirus pandemic by doling out a rare gift.
Staff at the outlets passed out two rolls of toilet paper to any senior citizen.
The rolls were passed out at the Plaza’s bus stop entrance (in front of the Levi’s store) beginning at 11 a.m. Thursday until supplies ran out.
The two rolls were packaged in a clear plastic bag. There were a total of 250 bags available.
Staff followed state health department guidelines and strictly enforced a drive-thru only policy — rolls were only given to people who drove by in a vehicle.
This was done to enforce social distancing and to stop any crowds from forming in the area.
Additionally, this kept seniors away from the outlets themselves to avoid any possible spread of germs.
Before receiving their bag of toilet paper, guests were required to show valid identification to verify their age.
An age limit of 55 years old or older was set; however, staff didn’t hesitate to give to those who were a few years younger, or claimed they were getting the rolls for an elderly loved one.
While this giveaway was advertised on the Plaza’s Facebook page, it didn’t draw a Black Friday-like attendance, despite there being empty toilet paper shelves at nearly every local store.
While one driver promptly showed up promptly at 10:50 a.m., cars showed up sporadically for the remainder of the morning.
By 11:45 a.m., staff still had just about as much toilet paper as they started with.
Gran Plaza had initially planned to pass out a bottle of hand sanitizer along with the two toilet paper rolls to anyone who walked up to the area.
After being contacted by the state health department, the Plaza readjusted its plans.
Management and staff declined to interview about Thursday’s giveaway. The shopping center also didn’t publically provide a reason why it was giving away toilet paper.
“It’s to help people who really need it,” one commenter on the Plaza’s Facebook page speculated. “Many older adults have no one to watch for them.”
While the plaza itself remains open to the public, only about five of its stores — Rack Room Shoes, Lids, Cinnabon, among others — were open Thursday.
Following their own corporate policies, bigger stores, such as H&M and Old Navy, were closed.
The Plaza has implemented its own regulations in response to the coronavirus.
Beginning Tuesday until March 29, the Plaza has adjusted its hours of operation to 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
Cleaning crews have also increased their frequency of cleaning, disinfecting and sanitation to every 15 to 20 minutes for door handles, bathrooms and high-traffic areas.
“We are also advising that anyone who is sick, stay at home,” the Plaza stated on its Facebook page. “And we’ve posted signage at our property to remind our shoppers to follow the safety precautions recommended by the CDC.”
Similarly, the Imperial Valley Mall in El Centro is open, although certain retailers there are following their own corporate policy and adjusting their operating hours.